Federal MP Bob Katter has launched a scathing attack on the Queensland Government in the wake of a growing COVID-19 cluster at Cairns Hospital.
All staff at the hospital will now have to be screened before starting work, including temperature checks, after another three laboratory staff tested positive for coronavirus.
Anyone exhibiting signs will then be tested for the virus.
It brings the current number of infected health workers to five — four in Cairns and one in Brisbane — after a Brisbane health worker is believed to have started the spread after visiting the laboratory and infecting a Cairns laboratory worker a month ago.
Those who had been infected have recovered.
Mr Katter, who has been campaigning to close northern Queensland from the rest of the state, has taken aim at the Queensland Government.
"Who is responsible for this? The Queensland Health Department and the Government of Queensland, who steadfastly refused to cut off north Queensland," Mr Katter said.
"They quarantined Queensland to protect themselves but they won't quarantine us.
"The people that were supposed to put a wall of protection up did just the opposite.
"They were the Enola Gay that dropped the atomic bomb."
Queensland's Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young said the employees returned positive serology tests on Monday.
"Serology testing detects the disease after you have had it, unlike traditional PCR testing which diagnoses the disease while you have it," Dr Young said.
"The three Cairns Hospital employees who tested positive for COVID-19 had mild or no symptoms and did not realise they had the disease, which is why they did not get tested.
"As a precaution, they have been placed in self-quarantine, even though they are not feeling unwell or likely to be infectious."
All but 10 of the 257 contacts to the group had now been tested with 112 returning negative results.
Union says health workers weren't told about cluster
The Together Union said staff only found out about the cluster after it was revealed at a press conference.
Union spokesman and Cairns Hospital employee Dr Sandy Donald said that should never have happened.
"The biggest problem we have is rumours," Dr Donald said.
"If somebody gets the information third or fourth-hand through social media it may be completely inaccurate.
"It's the sort of thing that can cause a great deal of stress."
Dr Young appealed for anyone in Cairns who had symptoms including a cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, and fever to get tested for COVID-19 and remain at home — even if they were essential workers.
"Like everyone in Queensland, Cairns residents have done a magnificent job of protecting themselves and others by respecting health advice," Queensland's Chief Health Officer said.
"We're asking everyone to continue practising good hygiene, social distancing, and home isolation."
